II Chronicles 6:36
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When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to a land far or near,
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The words with which Solomon celebrates this wondrous evidence of the divine favour, entirely coincide with the narrative in Kg1 8:12-21, except that in Ch2 6:5. the actual words of Solomon's speech are more completely given than in Kg1 8:16, where the words, "and I have not chosen a man to be prince over my people Israel, and I have chosen Jerusalem that my name might be there," are omitted. For the commentary on this address, see on Kg1 8:12-21.
Open source ↗The glory of the Lord, in the vehicle of a thick cloud, having filled the house which Solomon built, by which God manifested his presence there, he immediately improves the opportunity, and addresses God, as a God now, in a peculiar manner, nigh at hand. I. He makes a solemn declaration of his intention in building this house, to the satisfaction of the people and the honour of God, both of whom he blessed (Ch2 6:1-11). II. He makes a solemn prayer to God that he would please graciously to accept and answer all the prayers that should be made in, or towards, that house (v. 12-42). This whole chapter we had before, with very little variation (1 Kings 8:12-53), to which it may not be amiss here to look back.
Open source ↗6:36-39 Petition 7: Solomon’s prophetic concern that Israel might be completely exiled is evident in the final petition of his prayer. There were many exiles in the history of Israel, but complete destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple were the greatest challenges to faith. Solomon’s petitions looked to the Temple as a resource for faith; in a foreign land, the people might remember the chosen place and pray. The mention of land, city, and Temple (6:38) suggests total destruction, not partial exile. The Temple might no longer be present, but the people could still direct their prayers to God in heaven, who would hear and forgive.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body.
Surely there is no righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Do not bring Your servant into judgment, for no one alive is righteous before You.
If You, O LORD, kept track of iniquities, then who, O Lord, could stand?
They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
When they sin against You—for there is no one who does not sin—and You become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to his own land, whether far or near,
Finally, the LORD removed Israel from His presence, as He had declared through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their homeland into Assyria, where they are to this day.
Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”?
So the LORD was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained,
The LORD will bring you and the king you appoint to a nation neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you will worship other gods—gods of wood and stone.